Cable fastener or clamp.



E. B. FEASTER.

CABLE FASTENER 0R CLAMP.

APPLIOATION FILED smwl2e, 1907.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

attomua o UNITED STATES PA NT. OFFICE.

EDWARD B. FEAJSTERVQF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

cABL'E msannnn on CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent; 2

Application filed. September as, 1907. Serial No. 394,747.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. FEAs'rEn, a citizen of the United Statearesiding at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable Fasteners or Clamps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accom- The object of the invention is to provide a fasteningof this character which will be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive and one by means of which the end of an electrical conductor or other' cable may be quickly and easily secured without the useof solder.

The above and other objects are ;attained in the construction set forth in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a knife switch showing electrical conductors or cables attached to the terminal or contact posts in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through one of said posts; Fig. 3 is a detail cross section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; and 4 is a longitudinal section through another embodiment of the invention, the same beingin the form of a coupling for uniting the ends of two, cables. f I

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings 1 denotes a well known form of knife switch consisting of a base plate 2 of slate or other nonconducting material, .two terminal posts 3 to whichthe switch blades 4 are pivoted and twoterminal or contact'posts 5-ada ted to receive theswitch blades4 to comp ete an' electric circuit through conductors or cables 6. The outer ends of the switch blades 4 are connectedby across piece of non-conducting material from which projects the usual hark;- dle 7. Each of the posts 3; 5, has a shank of member 8 adapted to project throu h an o ening in the base 2, and a stop co ar or s oulder 9 arranged at one end .of the shank or member 8 and adapted to engage the outer face of said base. Theprojectin'g inner or rear ends of the shanks or members 8 are tapered from points 10 to their extremities and they are formed with externalscrew threads 1 1 which extend inwardly from their extremities to the rear face of the base- 2. Said shanks or members 8 are retained the latter by clamping nuts'12 which ar engaged with the screw threads 11 and, tightened against the rear face of the base. In the tapered rear ends of the shanks or members 8 a are formed cylindrical sockets 13 and-a plu-- rality of longitudinal slots 14, the latter being "preferably, but not'necessarily, four in numer' and arranged at e ual distances from each other as moreclear y shown in Fig. 3. The sockets 13' are adapted to receive the plurality of wires or strands of which the cales 6 are composed and from which the covering. of insulation is removed as shown, Be-

Patented oct.13,19os.,

fore the wires of the cable are inserted in said sockets I preferably insert between them one or'more wedges of tapered nails 15 which will space the extremities of said wires apart and cause them to be more effectively clamped in the sockets by clamping nuts 15 which are screwed upon the tapered ends of said shanks or members 8. The nails or wedges 15 are preferably about half the length or depth of the socket 13 and a sufficient number of them-are used to make the end of the cable about one-third largerthan its -normal diameter. The, nuts 15 have their openings tapered and threaded to engage the threads 11 so that when they are screwed upon the slotted and socket'ed ends 'of the shanks or members 8 they will'force together the plurality of branches or fingers 16 formed b the slots 14 for the purpose of effectively c amping the wires of the cables in said sockets 13. The shanks or members 8 are preferably made of brass or other metal that is slightly resilient so" that the branche or-fingers 16 will be sprung inwardly to more effectively clamp the wires of'the cables.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing I have shown my invention embodied in a coupling for uniting the ends of two cables. This device com-' prises a socket member 16 having asolid central portion 17 of pol gonal shape in cross section so that it may be readily engaged by a wrench or similar tool, and outwardly ta; pered ends 19 which are formed with "sockets 13 to receive the wires of the cables 6*, 63. The ends 19 of the socket membersare. also formed with longitudinal'slots -,14 and are externally screw" threaded to. receive clam ing nuts 15". The cables 6!, 6 are secure in the member 16 in the same manner in which the cables 6 are secured in the ,conductors or cables whether for use overhead, underground'or in conduits, and also for. connecting a cable to a switch of a power board or to binding posts on a fuse board, or in any (place where a cable has to be spliced or dea ended to a movable or stationary element.

. From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention provides an extremely simple and mexplensive fastening for a cable and one whic will be exceedin ly strong and durable. The provision of the slotted socket member and the cone-shaped clamping nut dispenses with the need of solder in attaching a cable and causes the latter to be effectively held so that it cannot pull out of the fastening and at the same time insures analmost perfect electrical connection.

. Having thus described my invention what I claim is:- V 1 1. In a cable fastening device, a solid member of resilient metal having one of its ends tapered longitudinally and externally screw threaded, said end being also formed witha' longitp'dinally extending cylindrical socket having a fiat imperforate bottom and said end being further provided with a plurality of tra verse intersecting slots extending longitu inally the full length of the' socket and dividing said'end ofthemember into a plurality of resilient clamping fingers, a cable of less diameter than said socket and having its end arranged in the socket, a plurality of tapered or' wedge-sha ed nails inserted between the portions oft e strands of the cable within said socket before the cable is inserted in'said socket whereby the extremity of the tween the strands of t cable is enlarged, and a clam ing nut formed with a longitudinally tapere opening internally screw threaded to engage the screw threads on the body and cause said sprin' fingers to clamp the strands of the cable, sub stantially as described.

2. The combination with an apertured member, of a terminal post arranged in the aperture of said member and formed adjacent to one end with an annular stopfiange to engage one face of said member, the other projecting end of the post having its outer portion tapered longitudinally andits outer surface externally screw threaded from its extremity inwardly to said member, the tapered outer portion of said end of the post eing forms with a longitudinal bore or socket having a fiat imperforate bottom and being also formed with a plurality of transverse intersccting slots extending longitudi-' nally the full length of the socket and dividsaid end of the post into a plurality of resilient clamping fingers, a cable having its end arranged in said socket, a plurality of tapered or wedge-sha ed nails inserted belib cable before the latter is inserted in said socket, a fastening nut arranged upon the threaded end of said post and screwed u against the face of said member-to retain t e post in the latter, and'a second clamping nut formed with a longitudinally tapered opening internally screw threaded to engage the screw threads on the tapered end of the post to cause said resilient clamping fingers to move imvardly and clamp the strands of the cable between them, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the resence of two witnesses.

E WARD B. FEASTE'R. Witnesses:

W. M. ToRBEn'r, CLARA ToRBERr. 

